Dynasty of Vader
by Qasim Hassan
Summary: Ten years after the rise of the Empire, Darth Vader and his secret apprentice Starkiller are ready to assassinate the Emperor, Vader's Master, Darth Sidious. Only then can he search for the remnants of his past and regain all that he has lost... (This is suitless Vader).
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 **

Darth Vader strode across the bridge of his newly completed flagship, the _Executor, _satisfied with the meticulous precision and effort put into the design and final construction of the Fleet's finest accomplishment yet. Years of planning and tons of capital and resources had been invested into this project requested by Vader himself. It was clearly reflected in the sheer magnitude of the vessel which was easily 12 times longer than the typical Star Destroyer and had the offensive capacity to decimate a planet within hours or simply frighten the enemy into submission. The _Executor _was indeed a terrifying and spectacular symbol of Imperial might, a stark reminder of the dominance of the Imperial Fleet across the galaxy. The cruiser was so intimidating and all-powerful that various Imperial admirals had attempted (unsuccessfully) to sabotage the _Executor _during the early phases of its constructionin order to prevent their own decline in the Imperial hierarchy relative to Vader. The Kuat Drive Yards had been the primary production facility for the _Executor _and keeping any information regarding the ship secret from both the Rebel Alliance and even most of the Empire had been essential. What only Vader knew was the covert training of his secret apprentice in the lower levels of this very cruiser over the course of its construction. Even the Emperor, his Master, had had no knowledge of this silent plot to remove him from the throne.

Vader felt a rush of exhilaration at the thought of finally destroying his Master, Darth Sidious. The old man had become increasingly complacent and arrogant ever since the rise of the Empire, repeatedly ignoring Vader's warnings of the remaining Jedi and their potential to foment rebellion throughout the galaxy. Sidious claimed the Jedi had been utterly wiped out by Order 66 and whatever survivors were left would be left in hiding, posing no threat to his rule. Vader was forced instead to perform menial tasks in putting out the flames of insurrection against the new Order as the Emperor commanded. He did so with stunning efficiency and brutal ruthlessness, instilling fear and servitude to the Empire wherever he went. Yet on several occasions, he had tried relentlessly to track down the last of the Jedi, including his former Master and best friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to no avail. Not to mention incurring Sidious' contempt and wrath for pursuing a link to his past as Anakin Skywalker.

He shook his head angrily at the mere thought of Kenobi, rage and hate bubbling within him. Kenobi had stolen his wife, his beloved Angel, Padmé from him ten years ago. When he had returned from his mission on Mustafar, Padmé had vanished and he sensed the stench of Kenobi and his deception within their apartment. No doubt he had turned her against him and took her away along with the child she had carried... perhaps he had even seduced her during those final months. Clenching his mechanical hand in frustration, he lashed out by telekinetically crushing a control panel nearby. Kenobi would pay for his betrayal and he would reclaim his wife someday, then he would finally reign as Emperor with his Angel at his side. But first he had to eliminate his Master, and that would not be possible, not alone anyways.

That was why he had taken in the young Galen Marek as his Sith apprentice six years earlier, instructing him in the ways of the dark side and preparing for the ultimate objective: defeating Sidious and taking his place as mandated by the Rule of Two. His Master knew him all too well, and was no fool either. He likely foresaw Vader's eventual chance at engaging him for the mantle of Sith Master, though he would be helpless against the combined strength of himself and his apprentice Starkiller. The apprentice would kill the master, one way or another. With the death of Palpatine, the Imperial bureaucracy would quickly turn to Vader as the next legitimate monarch. He could begin the final destruction of the Rebellion and in doing so seek out Kenobi as well as his wife while Starkiller enforced his will with absolute devotion. This would be the beginning of another era, one marked by the legacy, the dynasty of Vader.

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><p>From his vantage point at the Imperial Palace, Emperor Palpatine observed fireworks and festivities were everywhere as the city-world of Coruscant celebrated another prosperous year under the Galactic Empire, seemingly oblivious to the suffering and horrors happening elsewhere in the galaxy. Within the Palace itself, a grand party was being held among the Imperial elite who had the distinct honor of receiving cordial invitations from the Emperor himself and the privilege of participating in such an extravagant event that displayed the exceptional wealth and power of the Empire in the form of a massive feast and brilliant decorations and entertainment of all sorts for the hundreds of guests. The Emperor had briefly came to the rapturous applause and delight of the crowd, declaring in a rare public appearance how the Empire had once again proven its economic and military might and that it would continue as well for years to come.<p>

Palpatine, however, was not pleased, not at all. He was furious with his apprentice, Lord Vader, for failing to attend the reception that marked the tenth annual Empire Day. He knew Vader hated being involved in formal events that necessitated him to be in public or interact, especially with the many fawning sycophants who were caught up in their own political motives. He relished the dark emotions that swirled around his apprentice and to see Vader demonstrate his subservience to his Master, making him feel like a slave just as he had always been. There was also the added mental torture of the irrepressible memories Vader held of his dear wife that provided him an excellent excuse to express his disdain for Vader's weakness where Amidala was concerned. All in all, the opportunity to subtly torment Vader in these ways was satisfying and made up for the lack of enjoyment at the actual party. So Palpatine was irate that Vader had decided to skip on his obligations and more than probably go look for that blasted Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi instead.

Despite Vader's considerable progress in his Force abilities and overall skill, his attachments to Skywalker left him unable to fulfill his true potential as a Sith Lord. And that was unacceptable. He had hoped that time and discipline would stamp out these impurities but he was simply unable to let go of his past totally. He had thus considered replacing Vader but had consistently reached the conclusion there was no suitable replacement that could even remotely match Vader's raw potential. His loyal servant, Mara Jade, was turning out to be a most useful asset as an assassin and stealth operative, although she was nowhere near Vader's level at this point. The only assurance he had at the moment was that Vader still was not capable of beating him in a one-on-one duel, as he had a thorough understanding of Vader's style and preferences whereas Vader knew relatively little of Palpatine's true fighting form. Truthfully, he was more concerned about a coup led by Vader than the pitiful Rebellion and few Jedi his apprentice insisted on crushing soon. Suddenly a thought entered his mind, '_Is Vader using the Rebellion as a distraction to hide his own treachery?'_ It would certainly help explain his recent defiance, something that was quite out of character for him and more like the actions of Skywalker. No matter, he would find the truth of this and see to it Vader no longer entertained such ideas after dealing out an appropriate punishment to his wayward apprentice.

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><p><strong>I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter, please let me know what you think and if you want me to continue. I welcome any feedback, suggestions, or (constructive) criticism. Thanks for reading and please follow, favorite, and review. Everyone have a great day. <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all, I just wanted to apologize for the long wait for this chapter. I've been very busy with school and I'm afraid I won't be able to update as often as I'd like. Anyways, I really appreciate all the support and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please make sure to review, favorite, and follow as well as provide feedback.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2:<strong>

The former Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi sat in quiet mediation, as he reached out to the currents of the Living Force, searching and probing for even the slightest insight on the future, of all the possible realities. He frowned as he sensed a malevolent tide rolling through, stronger than anything he had encountered since the birth of Darth Vader and the downfall of the Jedi Order. And it seemed bound to alter the shape of the galaxy. Withdrawing himself from the usually relaxing morning ritual, he felt concern and anxiety at the troubling news, and began pondering what this meant.

'_What event could have set in motion such a disturbance in the Force?_' he thought. _The Sith are already in power… surely the situation could not become any more bleak?' _

Regret and heartache filled him at the thought of his fallen apprentice and the best friend he had ever known. There had not been a day he had not mourned his old Padawan, wondering where he had gone wrong. Anakin – no, Vader was now in truth Sidious' loyal slave, doing his Master's bidding without question or hesitation. He had singlehandedly decimated the Rebel Alliance across the galaxy and brought the evil rule of the Empire over the few systems still willing to fight for liberty and democracy. Besides that, the Alliance command had been plagued by jealousy and distrust, as various politicians and generals competed in petty power plays that had left the Rebellion in a precarious situation. Only Senators Bail Organa and Mon Mothma had shown any desire for compromise and creating a truly unified front against the Imperial war machine. Obi-Wan feared that they alone simply could not influence the rest of the Council to make any progress, despite his consistent efforts to intervene as a voice of reason.

What they needed, Obi-Wan reflected, was a born leader and warrior who had the charisma, reputation, tenacity, intelligence, and bravery to restore the spirit and purpose that had fueled the Alliance's initiation. Someone who inspired the best in others and made something out of what appeared to be a desperate cause. What they needed, in short, was Padmé Amidala. Without her guidance and direction, all was surely lost for the small band of freedom fighters that opposed the Galactic Empire.

However, Padmé had been devastated by the loss of her lover and husband, the haunting betrayal where she had taken off from their apartment on Coruscant, convinced by her friend Obi-Wan that the Anakin she had known, that she had loved was gone, consumed by Darth Vader. The grief and sorrow had left her a shadow of her former self, no longer the shining beacon of hope and compassion that had lit the stars of a galaxy shrouded by darkness. She was now living on the remote yet beautiful forest world of Goratak III in the far reaches of the Outer Rim, hidden from the reaches of Vader and his Emperor. And with her were the twin children she had bore ten years ago, Luke and Leia, both strong in the Force just like their father. They represented the final legacy of Anakin Skywalker and perhaps the sole chance to rebuild the Republic and the Jedi Order. He had visited her on occasion when his duties to the Alliance permitted, to check on how the children were and Padmé's state of mind. It was saddening for Obi-Wan to see the terrible effect Anakin's fall to the dark side had on the resilient woman he had known for so long. Deep inside he knew Padmé retained the fiery, unforgettable personality he had come to admire, but he also recognized that it would be a difficult task to rekindle the spark that had made her so special. Swiftly leaving his private quarters, he headed towards the hangar bay, intent on meeting Padmé for what would be a crucial discussion.

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><p>Mara Jade kneeled before the throne of the Galactic Emperor, Darth Sidious, and uttered faithfully "What is thy bidding, my Master?"<p>

"There has been an… unusual problem regarding Lord Vader. He has been ignorant of my commands of late. While I would like to exact punishment for his_ insolence_, I find it more pressing to figure out _why_ he defied me in such a bold manner." Sidious began.

"How may I serve you, Master?" she replied, eager to prove herself worthy.

"I want you to find what Vader is up to and report to me on whatever he is doing… I can sense my young apprentice may be plotting against me." he explained, his sickly yellow eyes gleaming menacingly.

"You wish for me to…_spy_ on Lord Vader? Mara asked in apparent disbelief.

"Why of course, my girl. You are by far my most reliable servant, there is no one else I would trust with this assignment." Sidious complimented.

"I am honored, my Master. I will not fail you." she vowed, pleased beyond measure by her Master's rare praise.

"Go now my Hand, and see to it you don't." Sidious dismissed her silently.

Once she departed, he returned to view the Coruscant night and cackled evilly, '_Your treachery will soon be dealt with Lord Vader, and you will learn your place as my apprentice!'_

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><p>Darth Vader looked on as the <em>Rogue Shadow<em>, a heavily modified starship designed primarily for stealth and infiltration, elegantly glided into the lower hangar bay on the _Executor. _He had bestowed the powerful craft upon his apprentice to take for the classified missions that required the unique abilities of the _Rogue Shadow_, which sported a cloaking shield and state of the art hyperdrive. Starkiller emerged and came towards Vader to bend the knee to his Master.

"I have done as you instructed, Master. The Jedi general Rahm Kota is dead by my hand." he said emotionlessly, presenting the old Jedi's lightsaber as evidence of his success.

"You have done well, Starkiller." Vader declared, "Your training is complete. You have shown you are indeed worthy of my teachings, and now we can commence the final stages of the true mission, the one I created you for all these years. My Master, Darth Sidious, must be destroyed. Then, we can make the Empire as it was meant to be… under my reign."

"Yes, Master. I will follow you as always, it is my destiny to be the apprentice and you the Master. I am ready for this, my skills and talents are at your disposal." Starkiller stated obediently.

"Good. As you may have discovered, I have gathered elements of the Imperial fleet loyal to myself as well as from the army and bureaucracy. With the combined force of these men, the Emperor will be unable to mount a sufficient defense against us."

"I trust in your planning and judgment, Master. We are on the threshold of victory due to you alone."

"In that case, we will lead the _Executor_ along with Death Squadrontowards Coruscant and surround the system so we can easily attack the Imperial Palace. From there, the path is straightforward. Failure is not an option."

With his cloak swirling behind him, he left for the bridge along with his apprentice to prepare for the upcoming battle.

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><p>Padmé Amidala, former Senator and Queen of Naboo, could not have imagined being in a more informal setting than with her two mischievous twins Luke and Leia levitating her like one their toys above the large bed before dropping her in. The children both promptly burst into giggles while even their mother could not resist a slight smile as she pulled each of her children into a tight embrace.<p>

"Oh no, what terror have they unleashed this time Mistress Padmé?" C-3PO exclaimed.

"Just another pleasant wake-up call. What I'm afraid of is they'll be lifting you and R-2 next. " Padmé replied.

"That's hardly reassuring." 3P0 shuffled away to relate his latest tale with his companion R-2.

"Mommy, Mommy! Do you know what day it is today?" Luke and Leia asked excitedly.

"Of course, it's your tenth birthday today! I'm looking forward to a day _without_ the two of you causing mayhem around the house, if that's possible." she looked pointedly at Leia, the main troublemaker of the two.

"Is Uncle Obi-Wan coming for our birthday party?" Luke said hopefully, "Yeah, I love whenever he comes to play with us!" Leia added.

"Well, I don't know about that. He might, but don't expect anything okay? You know how busy he is." she reminded them,

"Okay Mommy!" they chanted in unison, in the unique way only they were capable of.

"Alright, you two go and play while I start on cooking breakfast."

They nodded and ran out of the room, leaving Padmé to ruminate on the tenth anniversary of the most pivotal day of her life.

Ten years since her whole world had been turned upside down by the rise of the Empire and Anakin's turn to the dark side of the mystical Force. She would never, not even in a thousand years, be able to forget the heartbreaking holoimages Obi-Wan had shown her of Anakin, her Anakin killing younglings mercilessly. The feelings of revulsion and despair at the mere thought of Anakin doing such a thing, when she had been carrying his child, along with the end of the Republic were all too overwhelming for her. In her state of shock and betrayal, she had abandoned Anakin…and she would forever be ashamed that she hadn't tried to reach out to him, the man she knew was still inside. Because now she was certain there was good in him after all this time. But to protect her children from the evil Emperor and Vader, Obi-Wan had convinced her she could never come in contact with Anakin again, or else risk sacrificing everything should Vader turn them over to his Master.

She had resolved to raise her children as best as she could, and was incredibly proud of how kind, smart, and talented Luke and Leia were. Although they were a happy family, she couldn't help but wish Anakin was here, to be the father the twins deserved and the husband she had cared for more than anything in the galaxy. On the other hand, she missed the privilege of being part of something greater than herself as she had when she served the Republic and her people. The conflict against the Empire had not been proceeding well according to Obi-Wan and he suggested the lack of direction among the Alliance leaders was to blame. She could be there in the Rebellion making a difference and doing what was right, however she feared leaving her children without parents and what it would do to them.

To her surprise, she heard a knock at the house's entrance and was pleased to see the face an old friend.

"Hello there."


End file.
